Sick Day
by Radioactive Nerd
Summary: Season 3 episode 7. Verne brings the chicken pox into the Brown family household.


**Author's Note: I haven't seen every episode of the Back to the Future Animated Series but I've researched it (don't worry, Radioactive Nerd has a life). Anyway, to my knowledge I know that none of the characters has ever fallen ill. There isn't any time travel in this episode either. I'm sorry if it's "boring" and I promise the next couple of episodes will be rad.**

**Disclaimer: Back to the Future I, II, III don't belong to me in any form or circumstance. I also don't have the rights to the Animated Series or the comic book series. Drat!**

Hill Valley, California

July 14, 1992

8:34 AM

Verne's eyelids felt heavy as he groggily pulled himself out of a deep sleep. He was more tired than he usually was in the mornings of summer but that was probably do to the events of yesterday. The day prior to this one, Verne had played a football game with a bunch of tourists and his team won. Unfortunatly, he ended up getting pumbled a lot because he was the youngest there and his body still ached a little. Verne shrugged off his aches and tiredness as he went down the stairs to get some breakfast.

Doc and Clara were in the kitchen cooking some eggs and bacon together. The two seemed to be in a very good mood today and were laughing as they cooked. Jules was probably still asleep upstairs because his chair was empty. Verne entered the kitchen and sat down at the table. Clara turned around to see who was up and she gasped. Before Verne knew it, his mother had rushed over to him and was fussing over him.

"Verne Newton Brown you're covered in spots!" Clara exclaimed, which made Doc look up from the sink.

"What do ya mean mom?" Verne asked, bewildered at his mother's exclamation. He looked down at his arms and saw that she had been right. Verne's skin was covered in red spots. To him they kind of looked like mosquito bites and he realized they itched.

"Emmett come take a look at him!" Clara said and Doc rushed over to his son. He lifted up Verne's shirt and saw the red spots on his son's stomach. Doc didn't look anywhere else because he was sure that spots covered Verne's entire body. Then Doc fetched the thermonitor and took Verne's temp.

100.

"Verne I think you have what children pediatricians call: the chicken pox," Doc said and Verne looked confused. He had never heard those two words together and it didn't sound like a real sickness to him. In fact he didn't feel real sick, just a little tired and very itchy. His mother looked like she hadn't heard the name either.

"Chicken pox?" Clara repeated. "I'm afraid I don't know what that is."

"It's a mild sickness that usually causes sores on the body that itch and a fever. Verne probably caught it from those stranger kids he was playing with yesterday. Which reminds me, the chicken pox is very contagious. So we must-"

"Mother, father, I think I may have contracted some sort of rare jungle disease," Jules said as he came into the kitchen, scratching his neck. The eleven-year-old, like his brother, was covered head to toe in red spots.

"So we must not let the boys interact with each other," Doc finished.

Clara confined Jules and Verne to the bunk bed in Verne's room and warned them not to put so much as a toe on the floor or she'll only feed them that cabbage soup they both hated. Doc had connected each boy to a fever monitor via a helmet each wore on their heads. Then he said he was going down to the pharmacy to pick up a few things to ease Jules and Verne's sickness.

"Do you two want anything to occupy your minds while you're confined to bed," Doc asked before he left.

"Yes father," Jules said as he looked up from an issue of National Geographic that dated back to March. "A new issue of this magazine would be pleasant thank you." Jules handed his father the magazine so Doc would know which to get.

"Anything for you Verne?" Doc asked.

"Nah, I'm good pop," Verne said as he finished building a small ship with his legos. His father smiled at how comfortable his youngest son looked before leaving Verne's room. Verne looked up from the ship he made and looked out the window. It was a really nice day today and the sky was the bluest he had ever seen.

"Shoot, this is the worst time to be sick," Verne said and turned his attention to his mother. "Hey mom if our fevers go down, can we go outside?"

"No Verne, I'm afraid that you two will have to stay in bed for awhile," Clara answered and tucked Verne in and kissed his forehead. "Try to get some rest now."

"Hey Doc what brings you here?" Marty said and Doc turned around. Doc had been trying to find an ointment that would relieve his sons' itching but was having trouble finding some.

"Oh just picking up a few things for Jules and Verne," Doc said. "They have the chicken pox."

"Tough break," Marty said. "You should try giving them an oatmeal bath. That's what my mom did with me when I had the chicken pox. It takes away most of the itching."

"Thanks for the tip," Doc said as he picked up a bottle of tylenole and went to the cashier to pay for the things. He had grabbed that magazine for Jules and (even though he didn't ask for anything) a Western Willy comic book for Verne along with some popsicles and oatmeal. Once he payed for everything, Doc left the pharmacy with Marty accompaning him.

"Let me get my guitar and I'll entertain the boys for you," Marty said as he headed off to his truck. He returned within minutes and got in the van with Doc. They headed back to the Brown household.

"CLARA I'VE RETURNED!" Doc shouted as he entered the house. Marty was behind him with the guitar slung around his back. "Marty's here also!"

Clara came down the stairs looking positively exhausted and a little pale. She greeted Marty and then seated herself at the kitchen table. She rubbed her temples and with her hands and sighed.

"Something wrong Clara?" Doc asked as he took a seat next to his wife. Marty went up the stairs to get to the boy's bedroom.

"I feel a little odd," Clara said as her husband felt her forehead. Doc had a feeling that he knew what was wrong with Clara and decided to check to be sure...

"Emmett! What are you doing?" Clara exclaimed as Doc tried to peek down her dress front.

"Sorry Clara but I'm checking for red spots," Doc said as he rolled up the sleeve of her dress. "Darn! I see spots all over your arm and your body temperature has escalated. You better get to bed."

"I shall do no such thing!" Clara snapped and drew herself away from her husband, whom was trying to lead her upstairs. "My little boys need me to take care of them and-"

"And nothing Clara!" Doc said in a stern tone. "I can take care of the boys _and _you. Now up to bed before you faint."

For the next three hours Doc busied himself running to and fro between his and Clara's room and Verne's room. He fed them lunch and handed Jules and Verne their books and each a popsicle. Now he was in Clara's room delivering her the tea she had asked for.

"Thank you darling," Clara said as she took the cup. Suddenly Doc heard music coming from Verne's bedroom and excused himself from Clara to go investigate it. Marty was in there playing his guitar and singing "The Power of Love". Jules and Verne were enjoying this and were pretending to wave lite candles in the air.

"Yeehaw! That was the best song!" Verne exclaimed as bounced up and down the bed.

"I agree, it was very entertaining Martin," Jules said.

"Well now that you two are entertained I suggest taking a nap," Doc said as he pulled the covers over both boys. Then he left the room with Marty and headed downstairs.

_It is very difficult taking care of a family. _Doc thought. _A years ago before the time machines I never thought I would have to support and care for a family. I never imagined myself as a father but here I am... and I love it. _

END


End file.
